AP Government and Politics: Chapter 18 and 19-Campaigns and Elections

primary election

Declared party members choose who they want to run as their candidate in the general election

general election

Decides who the candidate winning an office will be

closed primary

Election where you must declare your party before Election Day

open primary

Election where you can declare party affiliation on Election Day

blanket primary

Election where you can vote for multiple parties for different offices on the same ballot

split ticket

Candidates from each party are chosen by a voter

Federal Elections Commission (FEC)

Enforces campaign finance law in the United States

midterm elections

Congressional elections that happen halfway into a president's term

war chest

Money intended for a political campaign

incumbent

Reelection seeker; stronger chance of winning

political action committees (PACs)

Formed by interest groups for campaign fundraising and spending purposes; Donate heavily to incumbents

coattail effect

Occurs when a strong candidate at the top of the ballot such as in a presidential race, helps create victories for other down-ballot candidates

invisible primary

Candidates compete in polls and appear with political commentators while trying to gain popularity

front-loading

States schedule primaries and caucuses earlier to boost political influence in the election cycle

Super Tuesday

Occurs when many states schedule primaries and caucuses on the same day in order to boost national excitement

Electoral College

538 electors who cast votes to determine the president

electors

Members of the electoral college

23rd Amendment

Gave Washington D.C. the right to vote in presidential elections

winner-take-all

Candidate who receives majority/plurality wins the election while any other candidate gets nothing

plurality

Most votes in an election, but not a majority

(FECA) Federal Elections Campaign Act

Tightened campaign finance reporting requirements and limited candidate spending

(FEC) Federal Elections Commission

Monitors and enforces campaign finance regulations

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) (2002)

Campaign finance law which attempted to reign in soft money political advertising

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Campaign finance case in which the Supreme Court upholds some campaign finance limits, but does not limit the amount individuals can spend on their own campaigns...essentially equating freedom to spend as much on one's campaign to the 1st Amendment protection on Freedom of Speech

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Overturned Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act's restrictions on corporation and union independent expenditures for campaigns and issues

hard money

Political donations that are regulated by law via the FEC

Iowa caucuses

First election for delegates of presidential campaigns

matching money

The federal government matches any donations of $250 or less for presidential election campaigns

New Hampshire primary

First primary of the presidential campaign season

soft money

Cash donations to political parties and interest groups that was not traced and not subject to campaign finance regulations

Caucauses

a meeting of the members of a legislative body who are members of a particular political party, to select candidates or decide policy.

incumbent advantage phenomenon

the ability to use all the tools of the presidency to support candidacy for a second term

Initiative

A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional amendment.

polling place

the location where voting is carried out

Precinct

The smallest unit of election administration; a voting district

recall election

a special election called by voters to remove an elected official before his/her term expires.

Referendum

a legislative act is referred for final approval to a popular vote by the electorate

voter registration

A system adopted by the states that requires voters to register well in advance of Election Day. A few states permit Election day registration.

Wards

divisions of a city for electoral or administrative purposes or as units for organizing political parties